The Village
by GingerSnaps08
Summary: When her quiet Viking village is attacked, Sookie comes face to face with creatures she has never seen before. Perhaps they are gods, perhaps enemies. Either way, her life will never be the same.
1. Attack in the Night

I bolted upright in bed. The remnants of the evening's fire crackled across the room, but the air was still cool. Too cool for spring. My flesh pimpled, but I wasn't convinced it was the temperature. Something had awoke me from my slumber.

No one else seemed disturbed. Jason and Michele were soundly asleep across the room, Gran snored softly as well. Convinced it had been my imagination, I laid my head back down to sleep. No sooner had a closed my eyes than a chilling screamed pierced the night. This time, I was not the only one who had heard it.

Everyone was awake now, and Jason was already out of bed and grabbing for his sword.

"Sookie, help them to the woods. You still have time to hide." He spoke sternly before disappearing out the door.

Our house was set slightly outside of the main village, where the screams were originating now with greater frequency. It would be several minutes before our house was included in the attack; an advantage we could not waste.

Gran and Michele were slow out of bed, Gran hindered by her age, and Michele weighted down by her large, pregnant form. I rushed to help Gran as Michele rolled and found her way to her feet. None of us spoke, unsure of what to say; but a quick glance passed between us, acknowledging our situation. We had no time to spare. We emerged from our home into a dark night. The moon and stars hid behind heavy clouds and dawn was still many hours away. Taking no time for our eyes to adjust, I ushered Gran and Michele into the dense forest that encircled our land. Jason was already gone, disappeared down the thin trail that led to the main part of the village.

The forest fought against us. I was constantly pulling or pushing one of my companions to help them along, but our progress was slow and the sounds of the attack grew and then faded slowly as we distanced ourselves. The land turned upward as we went, becoming the hills that defined the valley of our home. After what seemed like hours of winding and tripping through the trees, Gran's hand held me back.

"We can't go any further," she said, out of breath. Michele was holding to Gran's arm for support and she, too, looked exhausted.

"We can't stop, we're not nearly deep enough." I urged, fear bubbling ever higher.

"No, we would kill ourselves before an invader would ever find us. We must hide until it is safe again." Gran held Michele's hand and helped her to sit on the ground between two fallen trees. The winter had been rough and many trees had collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow, the remnants of which still spotted the ground.

"Sookie, you should keep going. You're strong. Head towards the village, others will have run into the woods. Find them and in the morning, come back to us." Michele spoke quickly as she pulled at a broken branch to camouflage their hiding spot better. Gran had sat down beside her and leaned her head against the log, her eyes closed and her chest still rising and falling rapidly.

"Be careful and be quiet," I urged, helping to hide them with more branches. Michele nodded to me, a silent agreement and farewell. I turned and headed in the direction of the village.

I strained my ears, and my mind, in an attempt to hear any attacker that may be hiding in the woods. All was silent. I stopped a couple times to breathe and look around, keeping track of where I was; getting lost and freezing to death would help no one. I wasn't far from the village when I stopped again for a breath, leaning against a tree for support as I gasped for air. I still could hear nothing. There was no more screaming, no sounds of swords or smells of smoke. If the village was under attack, I should be able to hear it from here. I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, searching for anyone still living. There was something, but not like anything I had heard before. I focused on it, determined to decipher the thoughts of the mysterious mind, but they were unreadable, as if in some kind of fog. The fog grew louder and, too late, I realized that it was closing in on me.

I opened my eyes and ran, not caring where. I could hear the footfalls of the stranger behind me and was thrown forward as they lunged and hit me. I landed in the dirt and scrambled, trying to get away but was pulled back by ankles and turned over to face my attacker.

It was a woman, something I had not been expecting. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but her face was contorted in the most terrifying expression of pleasure I had ever seen. Her smile was what scared me. Each and every one of her teeth had been filed to a sharp point and somehow coated in a glistening silver. Her bright green eyes blazed as she sat atop my prone body and brandished a small blade. I screamed as her arm plunged towards me, catching her wrist in my hand and pushing with all of my strength to keep it at bay. I felt out with my other hand, grasping at a piece of fallen wood and hitting her hard on the head with it.

The force knocked her to her side, throwing the blade just out of her grasp. She made to grab for it, but I hit her again with the branch. She glared back at me with what I could only image was the purest rage she was capable of. Again, she was on top of me, but this time she did not bother with a weapon. She snarled and dove at me with her mouth wide like a rabid animal. I threw my arm up to shield my face and she bit into it ferociously.

A blinding pain shot through my arm and then traveled into the rest of my body that kicked and shook against it. I was crying and screaming, knowing that I could not survive this attack, when suddenly, she stopped. The wild woman slowly lifted her head from my arm, her mouth dripping with my fresh blood. Her face was no longer contorted in fury, but in wonder. I didn't dare move as she examined me, her body releasing tension and her head turning to the side, questioning.

"How?" She spoke, in a dreamlike voice, her hand raising slowly and touching my cheek, turning my head slowly. "You're blood is my blood."

I wanted to stay still, to not provoke another attack, but I knew this may be my only chance for escape. I clutched my wounded arm in my other hand and prepared myself to run. But before I had the chance the woman flew backwards onto the ground at my feet, and over her, out of nowhere, kneeled a man. His back was to me as he held her down. She fought and screamed and clawed at his face but the man was unmovable. Faster than was possible, his face was next to hers. Her screams grew louder and he growled, both noised muffled by a terrible, wet ripping sound.

I was running again. I didn't know when or how I had gotten to my feet but I was running, and I couldn't hear screaming anymore. I ran toward the village. I didn't know if I would find anyone there who was a friend, but I would take my chances. Tonight, the woods were full of more terrible things than invaders.

**A/N: Chapter one! How I do like a fresh new story, so full of possibilities and promise. I hope you feel the same way about this one. I just want to warn everyone: I can be very inconsistent with my posting schedule, so please don't get discouraged. If I go more than 3 weeks without an update, feel free to send me some nasty emails. I'm still working out this story, but I'm feeling inspired, so you should get the next chapter fairly soonish. **

**Also, I don't have a beta, so I'm consistently doing something wrong that is annoying you, let me know.**

**What do you thinks so far?**


	2. The Strangers

When I reached the village, there were no signs of life. Everyone had scattered in the attack, or been killed. There were many bodies in the street, their blood reflecting what small sources of light there were. I clutched at my arm tighter, the pain awakening my mind that was becoming more unfocused. My fingers became warm as blood dripped over them and down my dress. I sat and leaned against the wall of the closest home, trying to conserve my strength.

The smell of blood permeated the air, but I wasn't sure if it was own, or that of the less fortunate. I wanted to cry looking at all the bodies of people I knew and had grown up with, but I was too scared to dwell on the sadness. A noise brought my mind back to the present. Across the way, a dog emerged from the shadows and tentatively stepped into the open. Convinced that it was all clear, he trotted over to me and stood looking at me for a moment.

It was at this point that I was convinced of the severity of my blood loss, because before my eyes, the dog turned into Sam, a friend of mine from the village. He stooped down next to me, completely bare, and examined my arm.

"It's going to be ok," he said, touching my cheek and looking at me with such concern. I believed him, I trusted him. And because of that, I gave myself permission to faint.

I was warm. I could feel my body covered in sweat, but my mouth was parched. I opened my eyes to the familiar image of the ceiling over my bed. I tried to turn over but my entire body protested against it. My head seemed to be the only thing capable of moving, and it turned just enough catch sight of Sam sitting at the foot of my bed, staring into the fire.

"It wasn't a dream then?" I asked, hoarsely. He turned quickly and smiled sadly.

"No. I'm afraid not."

"Gran and Michele, they're in the woods, you have to find them..." Sam held up a hand to stop me.

"Jason has already been out this morning and collected them. They are in the village, helping to clean up."

"Then they're gone? The invaders?" I asked, trying to prop myself up in bed, I cringed when I tried to move my wounded arm. Sam stood and came to my side, helping me to raise myself and lean against some extra blankets.

"It seems so. Though no one has any idea where they've gone, or where they came from at all." He offered me a cup of water. The coolness of it stung my throat, though was so very welcome.

"They were attacking each other." I said in a whisper, not necessarily to Sam.

"What?" He asked, sitting down at my side.

"When I was attacked. I was sure she was going to kill me, but then another one pulled her off of me. I think he killed her." I said, trying to remember the details of my attack. Several moments of silence passed as I thought of the woman and her teeth, and the man that had stopped her. I couldn't be sure what had been real, but I would keep her words to myself for now.

"You don't have to talk about this now. You should try and get some more rest. You're burning up, and your arm is not good." He said, putting his hand to my head and rubbing the sweat from my brow. I could tell he was worried. He was thinking that I was going to lose my arm, if I survived with my life at all. I couldn't dispute the thought. I had seen less severe injuries take a life before. If my wound festered, there would be no saving me.

My body couldn't fight the exhaustion that pressed so hardly on my consciousness, and I let myself drift again to sleep.

When I woke again, I could hear hushed voices in the house, but the room was much darker. Night must have fallen. I tried to listen with my mind but my strength was so depleted I could only see flashes of thoughts, none that were insightful. One mind did, however, seem familiar.

"Gran?" I asked into the darkness. The voices ceased and Gran soon appeared next to the bed.

"Sookie, how do you feel?" Her cool hand grasped my warm one gently, stroking her fingers against the back of it.

"Weak. Is something wrong? What are you talking about?" I blinked, trying to wake myself more, but it seemed an impossible task.

"It's just...strangers have arrived in the village tonight," she said slowly.

"The attackers are back?" I asked, fearful that the village would not be able to survive another attack so soon.

"They claim not to be. They say they drove the invaders away. That they are here to help us." She said, doubt evident in her voice. It did sound like an odd story to tell, why would strangers help a village that was not theirs or their allies? But then I thought of the man last night, the one who had saved me.

"I want to see them." I said, I tried to lift myself from bed, but only my head lifted a few inches from the bed before falling again.

"No, dear, you are too weak." She shook her head firmly.

"I was saved last night. If it was one of them, I want to see him, and I want to thank him. I have to." I spoke with as much force as I could, squeezing Gran's hand to try and prove my strength. She looked down at me, uncertainly in her eyes. She averted her gaze and looked across the room at someone, a silent conversation transpiring. She seemed to make up her mind and turned back to me.

"Alright." She nodded, pulling back the blankets that covered me. She left one, tucking it a bit tighter around my body. Sam approached the bed and stooped down, his arms sliding underneath my body and lifting me off the bed. I groaned a bit at the movement. He looked down at me with concern, but I shook my head a bit to reassure him. He pulled me closer to his chest and I rested my head against his shoulder. When Gran was satisfied I was secure enough, she led the way out the door. Sam followed close behind as Gran led us with a torch down the path towards the village. The cool night air tingled on my damp skin and I tried to curl myself closer to Sam's warm body. I wasn't sure if I lost consciousness, but we were in the village sooner than I thought possible. In the town square, everyone had gathered for the spectacle that was taking place.

Our elders were immersed in deep, and loud, conversation with everyone listening in. Each of them seemed to have a different opinion and all of them were looking to Bill to make a decision. I pitied him. He had only just inherited the power when his father had died just this winter. I glanced in his direction and his eyes caught mine for a moment. His stance stiffened and he held up his hand to quiet his advisors. He turned from them and walked into the great opening that encircled the strangers that stood in the center of our village.

They stood tightly together, just three of them. The man in front looked at Bill as he approached, his hands peek out from his long cloak and clasped casually in front of him, the hint of a smile on his lips. Behind him stood a man and a woman, both exceptionally beautiful. The second man towered over both of his companions, his bright blue eyes scanning the crowd and his hand firmly grasped a long-sword strapped to his belt. His light hair mimicked that of the woman next to him. She was not as tall, but equally as beautiful, and looked equally fierce.

"How am I to trust you when my village has only just been ravaged by outsiders?" Bill demanded of the leader. The man smiled a bit more broadly and took a moment before answering.

"It is not a matter of trusting me. We have been sent by your gods, it is them you must trust." He spoke evenly and calmly and Bill glared at him and paced.

"But you have no proof of this! It may even have been you who murdered my people." Bill suggested, circling the small group. The leader of the group chuckled softly and turned to his fellows.

"They do not believe us. Perhaps we should go and tell the gods they have refused their gift." He smiled broadly, but his companions remained silent and unmoving. The rest of the village did respond to the man's words. Every single on my people would fear the wrath of the gods, it was not something to be taken lightly. I hated this man for his words, for the fear it brought to a village already terrorized. I concentrated, using all of my strength to see into this man's mind, or even his friends, but all of them were not there. Their minds were nothing more that voids to me, more clouded even than my attacker the night before. This scared me more than anything else.

The village continued to stir, unsure of what to do, Bill among them. As we all waited, the eyes of the tall man fell on me. He paused in his scanning for a moment. His eyes diverted to his leader and his lips moved quickly, speaking under his breath. Soon, both men were staring at me, the leader's eyes twinkled with delight. He took a step forward and addressed the whole village.

"If it is proof of our intentions that you need, look no further than one of your own." His arm raised and gestured in my direction. The people around me moved out of the way and Sam shifted uncomfortably, holding me a bit tighter in his arms. "This very girl was moments away from death at the hand of your invaders, but it was my son who saved her."

He gestured to the tall man behind him and turned, looking at the entire village to make sure they had all heard.

"Is this true, Sookie?" Bill asked, taking several steps closer to me.

"I...I was saved...by a man. But I did not see his face." I answered honestly, my eyes searching the face of the tall man for any clue that it had been him.

"There you have it!" The stranger called for all to hear, making a triumphant circle around the opening. At this revelation, several of the villages began to talk amongst themselves.

"This is nothing!" Bill yelled, quieting the crowd. "Even if it was your man who stopped the attack, he did not save her! She may yet die from her wounds!"

I glanced down at my arm. It was greatly swollen and the bandages around it were soaked in blood, though they looked fresh. I could feel the fever in my body and hear the thoughts of those around me. Very few of them held any hope for my life.

"That can easily be fixed." The strange man said. He gazed at me, his wry smile returned. Without turning, he lifted his hand and crooked a finger to the man behind him. The tall man obediently came forward and stood beside his leader. The leader spoke under his breath to the tall man and gestured to me. The tall man visibly stiffened at his words. He took a step back and shook his head minutely. The leader looked at his subordinate for a moment, saying nothing, but communicating all he needed to. The tall man averted his gaze and took a moment, staring at the ground. His eyes lifted and started to stride over towards me, his jaw tight.

Sam stiffened as he got nearer, even taking a step back to increase the distance, but thought better of moving more. The man reached us and looked down at me and back up to Sam.

"Set her down." He commanded. Sam looked to Gran, then Bill, and finally to me, wanting someone to tell him not to. No one objected so Sam reluctantly kneeled and gently set me on the ground. He stayed next to me, refusing to let go of my hand.

"Back away," the man said plainly. Sam reluctantly let go of me and stood, taking a step back. I could feel the eyes of the entire village on me as I lay on the ground at the feet of the stranger. My body ached on the hard ground and I was beginning to notice how much effort each breath took. The man stared down at me, his eyes examining my wound, my face, my body.

Slowly, his lowered his tall frame and came to kneel over me, his face hovering over mine. His blue eyes searched mine, as if trying to push himself into my mind. His long hair fell around his face, creating a curtain that shielded us from the eyes of the village. I thought he was going to kiss me and I was about to protest when he brought his own wrist to his lips. I heard a dull, wet crunching sound before he moved his wrist to my own lips.

"Drink," he said quietly, so only I could hear. I couldn't fight him even if I wanted to. But more than that, part of me hoped that he could actually heal me; and right now, I would do anything for life. I parted my lips and let him set his arm against them. Instantly, I could feel the cold, thick liquid in mouth. It tasted sweet and salty, delicious and horrible at the same time. After a moment, he seemed satisfied and pulled his arm away. I licked the remaining liquid from my lips and mustered what strength I still had.

"Thank you," I said simply. I wanted him to know how grateful I was for him saving me, and now also for his attempts to heal me. He nodded slightly, acknowledging that he had heard me, before standing and turning away from me to join his companions.

"We will return tomorrow night. I'm sure you will have an answer for us by then." The leader spoke confidently and without waiting for a response, he turned to walk towards the forest. All three of them walked calmly from the square, the crowd clearing to let them by, and disappeared into the night.

**A/N: This is what I'm doing instead of studying for my Calculus test. I hope you enjoy the product of my procrastination.**

**So it's looking like you're going to be getting chapters about this length or a bit shorter, but you're be getting them more often, so that's good, right? Also, I want to address the fact that none of these characters have Viking names. There are two reasons for this. One, this is fanfiction. It's not historically accurate and I think it will make everyone's lives easier if I just use characters from the books and call them by their given names. Second, I don't feel like researching and trying to convert names into Viking, which would be long and impossible for most people to pronounce.**

**Other than that, I hope everyone is enjoying the story and hopefully intrigued. Don't you want to know more about the strangers in the village?**

**Please review!**


	3. Mercy from the Gods

I let myself lay there, on the hard ground as the rest of the village broke into an uproar at the departure of the strangers. I felt odd. My breathing was no longer labored and I basked in the relief of the deep, fresh breaths I could now take. I felt more awake, more alive. A coolness spread through my body from my throat to my toes, like ice, melting away my fever. My arm tingled and I lifted it to examine the wound. The swelling had subsided in the mere moments I had been laying there. I raised my other hand and began to unwrap the dressings from it. Gran and Sam had found their way back over to me and were as entranced as I by my miraculous recovery. As the last bloody bits of cloth fell from my arm, Sam went rigid and Gran gasped, gaining the attention of several bystanders. Word spread quickly and soon the entire village was crowded around, trying to catch a glimpse of my perfectly healed arm.

Not even a scar remained. It was not red or swollen or bruised. My flesh, that had been torn open by the wild woman's teeth, had knitted itself back together and looked as unmarred as it had before the attack.

Bill pushed his way through the crowd to bend down next to Gran.

"You told me it was deep," he spoke to her as he took my arm and ran his hands over the skin, looking for some sign of the injury.

"It was down to the bone, the skin ripped to shreds." She said in amazement, her eyes still glued to my arm.

"This kind of magic cannot be trusted." Bill shook his head, standing and stepping out of the gathering.

"Do not be so hasty!" Exclaimed Bud, one of our elders. He walked over to Bill and blocked his path to force him to stop pacing. "They are sent by the gods themselves. It is the power of the gods that they wield, and we cannot reject such a gift!"

The whole village agreed, amazed at the demonstration of power before them. Many people began to shout, demanding that Bill acquiesce to the strangers. I, too, was amazed by my recovery, but I could not trust the strangers. I could not believe they were sent by gods. From what I could tell, Bill felt the same as I, but the village would overrule him.

"I think I want to go home," I said to Gran as I lifted myself to my feet.

"Yes, I think we've all seen and heard enough for one night," she agreed as she offered me her arm. I was no longer weak (far from it in fact) but I took her arm for the comfort.

"Sam, I'm sure you'll want to go home and get some rest, but I can't thank you enough for helping Sookie." Gran sad to Sam as we turned toward the farm.

"You have always treating me like family, I would do anything to help you and yours." Sam answered Gran. He smiled to Gran, his sentiment authentic. Sam had not been born in this village, and we were wary of outsiders. But it had been Gran to truly welcome him, and the rest of the village had followed her lead.

"Thank you, Sam." I added as we passed. He smiled sadly as he watched us pass.

Gran and I walked silently back to the house. The path was dark but I felt as if I could see each turn and puddle as if it were daylight. The sounds of the night were louder and the air was fresher and cooler than it had been. I felt good, even better than before the attack. But nothing good can come without a price, and I dreaded that I would soon have to pay it.

Before my thoughts could delve even further, we reached the door to the home I had lived in since I was a child. Gran held the door for me and shut it firmly after I had entered.

"Go lie down while I fix you some food. You haven't eaten since last night." I smiled at the familiar worry in her voice. And as was often the case when something was wrong, she was going to feed me. I knew she was right about my last meal, but I didn't feel hungry. Nothing about me hurt or felt wrong. To reassure Gran, I obeyed and went to lie on my bed in the back of the longhouse while she worked to rekindle the fire in the hearth.

I watched her work in silence. Her movements were fluid, the result of working at the hearth for so many years. I smiled, thinking of all the meals she had made for me and all the meals she had taught me to cook. Just as she was finishing, Jason and Michele came in. Jason immediately sniffed at the air and instinctively approached the hearth in search of the source.

"Can you believe the gods have favored us in such a fashion?" Jason asked as he stirred at the contents of the pot.

"I am glad for what they have done." Gran said in a cautious tone.

"Yes!" Jason said, turning to me as if he had just realized I was in the room. "Sookie, can I see your arm?"

I held it out for him and allowed him to turn it over and examine it to his satisfaction. Michele stood back, but watched with equal fascination.

"After so long, we have finally been given good fortune." Michele said as she absently rubbed at her swollen belly. I could hear her worry and how she had feared for her first child to be born at such an unfortunate time.

"We shall see," Gran said as she placed bowls of stew on the table. "I am grateful for what these strangers have done. But we have lost many of our people, and the ground is still frozen. If these strangers can make the spring come, then I will bow down and kiss their boots myself."

I smiled as the image of Gran bowing before anyone. The family gathered around the hot food and ate quickly, sparing no more time for conversation. The stew was thin and very little meat was spared for it, but it warmed me. I was grateful that none of us had been lost in the attack, though I myself had come so close. I suppose that alone should endear me to the strangers, but nothing could shake my uneasiness about them.

The next day, I woke up to a world that once again seemed normal. The animals would need to be tended, food would have to be prepared, and I would go to visit Sam. If it wasn't for the memories of the past two nights, I wouldn't have thought there would be anything different at all about today.

The morning was quiet on our farm. We were far enough away from the village to be afforded a certain amount of peace and privacy, but I knew the village must be abuzz. Gran and I prepared a modest breakfast before Jason left to join some of the other men who would spend the day fishing. Though Gran tried to hide it, our supply of oats was running very low, as I knew all of our other food supplies were. After breakfast, I made sure the cows were given a small portion of the remaining hay and made my way to town to find Sam.

Everyone seemed to stare at me as I passed. Stories of my miraculous healing had, no doubt, spread through the entire village by now. I pulled my cloak tighter around me and tried to attract as little attention as possible.

Sam's small market was near the town square, but was empty when I approached. Almost all of his stores had been bought by now, as we were not the only family that was struggling after such a long winter. When he heard someone enter, Sam emerged from behind a barrel of ale and smiled brightly at me.

"Sookie, you look so much better." He walked around and embraced me in a tight hug before stepping back with a shy expression.

"That's why I'm here," I said, setting my small bundle on his counter and unwrapping it to reveal two strips of dried goat meat. Sam stepped closer to take a look and took a sharp intake of air. "It's from the slaughter last fall. Gran and I want you to have it. She's certain that if it wasn't for you, I would have bled to death."

Sam looked down at me with such gratitude. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Bill.

"Sookie, you're completely healed then?" He had walked up to join us and placed his hand on my shoulder as he reached me.

"Yes. I feel perfectly fine." I reassured him. He didn't look as pleased at the news as I was. I peeked into his mind to find him torn. If the strangers had not proved to be as powerful as they seemed, he would not be forced to acquiesce to them.

"What have the strangers asked of us?" I looked to Bill who sighed and straighten his belt before answering.

"They wish us to welcome them. To let them come and go as they please. To trade with us. The elders will agree to this." I could tell he was not happy at this, but he could not fight the will of the village.

Before I could respond, shouting broke out in the village. Sam, Bill, and I walked out to investigate. Several men, including Jason, were standing in the town square holding great pieces of meat and laughing.

"What's this?" Bill shouted as we all jogged toward the scene. It was Jason who answered.

"A whale beached itself in the night. We found it this morning." He said beaming as he put down a bucket he'd been carrying, full of whale blubber.

"We have been blessed." It was Bud who approached now. He threw the edge of his cloak over his shoulder and strode closer. "After we decided to welcome the guardians, the gods have blessed us with this whale. They are reassuring us, and rewarding us for our piety."

"The guardians?" I asked quietly to Sam. "Is that what they're calling the strangers now?"

"Yes, it started last night." Sam answered. Jason called him over and Sam began to pass out the large pieces of fresh meat to the celebrating village. For many of them, it would be the first meat they had had in months.

"Perhaps the gods have shown us mercy after all." I said, almost to myself.

Bill turned to me and smiled sadly. His hand lifted slightly and he softly ran his fingers over my healed arm.

"I'm not sure I can deny it any longer. We've lost so much, we should be thankful for what we've been given." I smiled at his kindness and his sentiment. Many people in this village had been killed this winter, his own father included. But somehow my family had been untouched by the tragedy, we hadn't even lost anyone in the attack. And now, with this whale, we would survive until spring, and for that, I needed to be thankful. I nodded to Bill, acknowledging my agreement. He nodded back and his jaw set with purpose before he turned away from me.

"Everyone!" He shouted to get their attention. They stopped their laughing and smiling and turned to him, anticipating bad news. "When the guardians return to us tonight, we shall be awaiting them with a feast. We shall burn a great piece of meat and fat for sacrifice and show the gods that we are thankful."

There were yells of approval at Bills announcement and turned back to me with a proud smile before walking away to make preparations for the feast. I smiled too, but it was wider than it should be, to hide the worry at meeting the strangers again.

I set aside my fear about tonight and walked home with Jason, carrying meat as we went. When we arrived Gran was jubilant at the news about both the whale and the feast. She set about making sure Jason bathed and helped Michele to do her hair. I retreated to my corner of the house and silently brushed out my hair. I braided a few pieces to keep it out of my face and let the rest hang loose. Gran's only request was that I wear my best wool dress, blue with an intricately embroidered trim. We all dressed in our finest and when it was nearly sundown, we headed for the village.

The town square had been set up with great tables for everyone to sit and eat. Large fires provided light and over them roasted large cuts of whale meat. There were several pots of stew about and Sam had provided two barrels of ale. Though the scene was set for a joyous feast, the people were silent and stood about waiting. My family joined them and we all stood, unmoving as the sun set and village was cast into darkness. Our eyes were trained on the forest, watching for any sign of movement.

Finally it came. One moment we were staring at an unchanging darkness, and the next, the three strangers stood before us. The leader came first, followed by his two companions and walked into the center of the square where they were greeted by Bill.

"Guardians, we welcome you to our village. You may come and go as you please and will treated here as family. You may choose from any vacant house to make your home. But for tonight, we will have a feast in your honor and in the honor of our merciful gods."

As Bill spoke, the leaders face slowly spread into a smile and he even chuckled as Bill finished.

"Excellent! You have all proven to be wise and kind. Let us not keep from this marvelous feast any longer." The man turned to take a seat at the nearest table but Bill stopped him.

"Pardon, but...if we are to be as family, surely we should know your names," he said with question in his voice.

"Of course, of course!" The leader said.

"You may call me Appius. This," he said, gesturing to the woman," is my daughter Pamela."

He turned to his male companion next and placed his hand on his shoulder. "And this is my son Eric."

**A/N:**

**So I want to address two things that I know some people will be curious about:**

**Appius: I know that many people prefer Godric over Appius (myself included). But Godric is a much calmer, kinder maker than I need for this story. Appius serves my purposes well and while I may not stay completely true to his form (partly because I don't really remember much from the books...not even what he looks like), his character will not at all be like Godric. Godric doesn't make a lot of waves, but Appius does, and it's because of this that I've chosen him. A story needs good waves.**

**Bill: Oh, I know so many of you hate him. All you want to do is see old "Beehl" be a jerk and suffer. I've never felt that way about Bill and I don't think Charlaine Harris ever wanted that fate for him either. He's complex and has made mistakes, but I do believe he has redeeming qualities and should not be typecast as some horrible guy that is just going to screw with Sookie. He's not a flat character and I feel that if I were to write him that way, the story would suffer. If you hate Bill, that's you're prerogative, but please don't be disappointed if this story doesn't punish or ruin him. **

**Finally, I'm curious if anyone would prefer me to throw in chapters from pam or eric point of view so you can see what's going on in the other camp. As it stands now, I'm planning on letting you glean information slowly so you don't know everything right away. Thoughts?**


	4. The Feast

Everyone began to take their seats at the tables, ready for the feast to begin. I followed behind Gran, Jason, and Michele as they sought out seats, but was stopped by a hand on my arm.

"You will sit with me tonight," Bill said with little room for argument. I turned to Gran, who had stopped also and heard his command. She nodded at my questioning expression but didn't say anything, only turned and continued to the table.

I followed silently as Bill led me towards the table at the head of the gathering.

"You will serve the guardians and myself, and sit beside me for the feast," he sat quietly as we walked.

"Why me?" I asked. Surely I would have expected to help serve my own family, but this was different.

"They have singled you out; honored you with their gifts. You will respond with proper gratitude." He said quickly as we got nearer. He stopped suddenly and turned to face me with a curious expression.

"And because I want you next to me," He added, his eyes not meeting my own. He turned and again led the way as we quickly reached the table. He offered seats to Appuis, Eric, and Pam; who all took them without a word. Bill nodded to me and I set to work. Along with the other woman, I began to serve the stew and meat. There were even a few loaves of bread that had been prepared, something I had not seen for a very long time. I filled the plates of the guardians without looking at them. They offered no words to me and I would offer non to them. When their plates were full, I began to fill their cups with ale. I filled the cup of the leader, Appius, and as I made to move on to Eric, a swift arm reached for mine and cold fingers encircled my wrist. I looked up quickly into the grinning dark eyes of Appius; his grasp tight on my arm.

"I'm so glad to see you recovered, dear. It would have been a shame to see such lovely flesh marred." He waited, examining my eyes and expecting a response. When he got none, he turned to Bill, my arm still in his grasp.

"She is quiet lovely. She's not a thrall, is she?" He asked.

"No," Bill responded quickly. "We have no slaves in our village. She is my betrothed, in fact."

"Really?" Appius turned back to me. I nodded to confirm Bill's statement, keeping my eyes down. "And what is your name, my dear?"

"Sookie." I said matter-of-factly, still not raising my eyes to his. I made a small bow of retreat and pulled to release my arm. He let it go reluctantly and turned back to Bill to speak. I continued to fill glasses.

"So when is the happy day?" Appius asked.

"In the summer. It is custom to have a summer wedding and feast. My father arranged the match and set the date before he passed. " Bill answered. I finished filling the drinks of the guardians and took my seat next to Bill. The whole village ate cheerily and heartily, the night alive with conversation and laughter. Next to me, however, Bill and the guardians were silent.

Many times, I glanced down the table to make sure the guardians still had enough food, but their plates remained full throughout the night. Bill also kept glancing in their direction, but said nothing about their lack of hunger. I realized that our guardians were probably not used to our style of food. They probably preferred more expensive or exotic foods and found ours repellent. If this were the case, I wouldn't give voice to it and offend any of the villagers.

When the food was consumed, Bill stood and addressed the whole village. He once again thanked the guardians for their protection , and the gods for their mercy. The saved meat and blubber was brought out and burned on the bon fire in sacrifice. When the meat was no longer recognizable, the village once again came alive. Several people bought out their drums or flutes and began to play lively music. The tables were abandoned, many people choosing to dance to wander and talk, and the children were swept off to bed.

Appius, Eric, and Pam did not join in the festivities as whole-heartedly as most. They stood tightly together, not speaking, only observing.

I walked over to a small groups of women, the closest to friends that I had in the village.

"Sookie!" Arlene exclaimed when she saw me step up beside her. "Did you speak to them? Did the guardians say anything?"

"Not really," I answered. "Appius asked of Bill and I's betrothal, but the other two haven't spoken."

We all peeked over at them, they had moved very little, still standing grouped on the edges of the celebration. The only difference was that they now appeared to be talking, at least Appius was. The other two listened.

"Do you think they're gods? Here to test us?" Dawn asked, watching them closely. "The tall one could be Thor, himself."

"We already know they wield the power of the gods, so we will treat them as gods. It matters not if they themselves have descended from Asgard." Arlene snapped at Dawn. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I for one plan on showing them plenty of respect." She said to no one in particular. Her thoughts did indeed place her in a pious position in front of Eric. I quickly raised the walls that protected my mind from the thoughts of others.

The ale continued to flow, but after a while, even that could not fight off the bitterness of the night air. The villagers began to disperse, slowly leaving in twos and threes for their beds. Gran had already retired, taking Michelle with her to the farm. Jason sat drinking with his friends around a fire. When it was clear the evening was coming to an end, Bill approached the guardians and spoke shortly with them, before guiding them out of the square and into the darkness of the village.

Arlene had gone home to her children and Dawn had disappeared not long after, so I was left to myself by the remnants of the bon fire. I enjoyed the peace of solitude and relaxed as I stared into the bright coals, the last few flames flickering. I didn't know how long I stood there, my face and legs gradually warming to a slightly uncomfortable burn, while my back froze, exposed to the elements. It was the soft touch of a hand on my shoulder that brought me back to my mind. I turned to see Bill, a curious look on his face.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned. I look a breath as I looked around. I was now the last person in the square, even my brother's group having left. The fire was almost completely dead and the village was all but silent.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I lost track of time." I said.

"It's alright. But you shouldn't be out here alone. Even our small village hasn't been very safe lately." He said sadly, his eyes darting to the dark forest.

"I know. I should probably go home, I wouldn't want Gran to wake up and worry." I tucked a hair behind my ear and took a small step backwards in the direction of home.

"I could walk you, if you like." He took a step to match my own.

"No, it's alright. I'm sure even in these dark and dangerous times I can manage the short walk home." I said with a laugh. He didn't smile.

"If you're sure." He said with a nod, folding his hands together behind his back.

"Good night, Bill." I gave him a small smile and turned and headed for home. I didn't look back, but I knew he watched me until the light no longer allowed it.

As I neared the last few homes that sprinkled the edge of the main village, a figure walked into my path, staggering a bit. They reached out to support themselves on the wall of a home. I quickly sprang forward, to help. As I got closer, I knew the figure was Dawn, her hair loose and messed.

"Dawn, are you alright?" I asked, pushing the hair from her face to study her dazed expression.

"Yes, I'm fine." I said assuredly, her eyes sobering slightly.

"Where have you been?" I asked, looking around for a possible companion or destination. Her own home was in sight, but she had come from the opposite direction, apparently by herself.

"I..." She said, faltering. "I don't know. But I need to go home and sleep." She finished. I took in her appearance a bit more closely. She seemed fine, drunk but fine. The only thing that worried me was a drop of blood on her collar. But there was no obvious source and it was only a little.

"All right," I helped to support her as she stood and I began to lead us to her home. When we reached the door, she stopped me from entering.

"Thank you, Sookie, but I really need to sleep now." She said drunkenly. I shook my head slightly at her disheveled state, and worried momentarily that she lived alone. No one would be able to help her if she needed it. But Dawn was a grown woman, and I knew this was not the first time she had been in this state. Finally, I consented to leave her to rest, she would not appreciate my meddling.

With Dawn home, there were no other interruptions in the walk home. The familiar path came and went quickly under my feet and soon enough, I was opening the door to my family's home. The fire was not yet dead, still warming the air and lighting the center of the house. I walked quietly past it and the beds of my sleeping family. Jason was snoring loudly and Michelle nudged him as she turned over, trying to find a comfortable position. Gran was curled into her covers and turned toward the wall, deep asleep. I quietly removed my dress and folded it neatly for another day. The coverings were cool as I slipped between them and rested my head on the furs. I took a deep breath, letting myself sink deeper into the bed and allowing my mind to relax. My mind spread outward, stretching and relaxing, recognizing the quiet sleeping minds of my family.

Just as I was completely settled, my mind encountered a strange presence. Outside, a small distance from our home, were two empty spaces where minds should be. Voids. These voids had only recently become familiar to me. It was how the minds of the guardians felt to me, so very different from the minds of the villagers.

I could no longer think of sleep. Instead, I thought of the voids. What could they possibly be doing? Where they waiting for something, or watching something, or just...perhaps...lost? I didn't move and I didn't speak, afraid to miss any tiny movement or change in the voids. But they didn't move. They stood there, unmoving and unchanging for an untold amount of time.

It wasn't until dawn threatened to break over the horizon that they moved. One moment, they were where they had been all night, and the next, they were gone. For a moment I thought I had somehow blocked them out, but as my mind searched all around the house, as far as I could, they were nowhere to be found. There was no trace.

Perhaps I had imagined it all. Perhaps I had fallen asleep and dreamed it. Or perhaps there were more to the guardians than I knew, or even wanted to know.

**A/N: Sigh. The problem with writing chapters like this is that I know there are better things to come and I just want to get to it! So it took a little longer and is a little shorter, but everything will start to pick up soon, promise. Also, it doesn't help that I keep finding new stories I want to read. **

**For all my American readers, I hope your Thanksgivings went well and your Black Fridays were painless. For all my international readers, I hope your last Thursday was normal and your last Friday was not as crazy as ours.**


	5. While the Village Sleeps

All was quiet tonight. The village was asleep now, and all the animals of the forest had hidden themselves away in the presence of a predator. It was one of the few things Eric missed about his human life. His father had taken him to the forest, shown him to hunt and which plants could be useful. He had felt at home there since those days, but now the forest was a different place. But then again, he was different, too.

But these memories and thoughts of his human life were coming back to him more readily these past days. Ever since they had come to the village. Since he had been turned to this life, he had been forced to live on the fringes of society. Never had he gotten closer than was necessary to find a meal, and then retreat back into the dark. But now, on Appuis's command, they were to assimilate.

It was this very man that he approached now in the dark. His maker stood alone in the forest, relaxed and deep in thought. He was facing the farmhouse that stood farthest outside the village and did not turn as Eric joined him.

For an hour or more they stood silent in the dark, not moving, until Appuis acknowledged his companion.

"You smell it." It wasn't a question. Appuis glanced over his shoulder at Eric, a smirk on his lips.

"I do. It's fresh. It wasn't here last night. One must have come during the day." Eric surmised.

"A single fairy, very brave to come alone. It came during the day, ignored the majority of the village, and circled this farm. The farm that happens to be the home of our dear, dear Sookie." Appius steeped his fingers and rested the tips on his chin. "She is important."

"How?" Eric asked.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't need you." Appuis turned full around to face his beautiful progeny.

"What would you like me to do?"

"I need you to get to know the girl, seduce her even. Find out what she's hiding. Glamour her if you have to, but don't get overzealous. We can't risk exposure in the village now. We're too vulnerable if they turn on us." Appuis spoke clearly and directly, watching Eric's face closely.

"You wish me to seduce her?" Eric asked skeptically after a few moments.

"Is there a problem with that?" Appuis raised his brows.

"No. It's just not the command I was expecting. Why not ask Pam? Surely a young girl would confide more easily in another young girl." Eric suggested.

"Pam is too young. She lacks tact. She'll probably grow out of it, but right now we need to be subtle. The human would be half-drained and glamoured to madness after one night."

Eric smiled thinking of his sister. She had not been with them for long, but her companionship had been priceless, thus far. It was only by chance that she had joined them. Appuis didn't favor women and had never taken an interest in them, but he had decided that they needed one. Two men, traveling alone might be construed at as a threat more easily than a group with a woman. She had been merely a tactic to disguise themselves, and inadvertently made them a family.

"Speaking of Pam, where is my darling daughter?" Appuis turned his head a bit, as if he might unexpectedly realize she was around.

"She's rearranging the house. She's a bit excited. It's the first real home she's had since she was turned." Eric smiled.

"You wound me. Am I such a terrible father, dragging you both around as I do?" Appius asked as he raised his hand and cupped Eric's cheek.

"No." Eric responded quickly. "That's not what I meant. A house is a small thing, and you've given us so much. I only mean that Pam seems happy here."

"Of course. I'm quite pleased here as well." Appius continued to gaze at the farmhouse. The two stood there for a while, until Eric began to sense the rising sun. "It's late. We should retire for the day."

Without waiting for a reply from Eric, Appius disappeared into the night, faster than any human. Eric continued to look at the farmhouse for only a moment before following behind his maker. He broke off to fetch Pam before heading back to the cave they spent the day in. She was still at the house the village had given them. It was near the forest and private enough, but it would not be safe for the day.

Pam was inside, still examining all of the remnants of the humans that had lived here before them. She had worked her way from the beddings to the clothing and was now onto the hearth. She was turning over a ladle and scratching at some non-existent food residue when Eric found her.

"It's for cooking." He interrupted her. "That thing that's done to food before it's brought to you."

Eric ducked with ease as a ladle flew at his head and hit the door behind him.

"It's not a bad weapon, either." She smirked. Eric laughed and picked up the broken ladle, returning it to the shelf Pam had found it on. She looked up at him, the mirth gone from her face."Do we have to go back to the cave this morning?"

"It's safer there. The house isn't completely light-tight and we're still new in the village. They could still turn on us." He smoothed her hair and placed a hand on her back, gently guiding her to the door.

"What were you two doing earlier?" Pam asked as they left the house and began the walk to the caves, at a human pace.

"We found a fairy's trail, by Sookie's house."

"Was it the one you let get away?" Pam smirked, her eyes quickly glancing up to gage his reaction.

"I didn't LET it get away. She just popped out like they do. And I'm not sure. If it was her, she didn't come back to finish Sookie off, she just seems to have watched." Eric was visibly angry at the memory. Pam chuckled at his self-flagellation. He stopped all of a sudden and turned to Pam. "And under no circumstances can Appius know that I let one see me and get away. I told him I killed her."

"I wouldn't say anything." Pam said seriously. Eric watched her for a moment before moving on. They were nearly to the cave before she spoke again. "So what are you going to do about the fairy?"

"He wants me to seduce Sookie, see if I can find out why they're so interested in her."

"You always get the good jobs." She huffed under her breath as she began to lead the way to the back of the cave. Eric chuckled and followed her. The light from the moon was quickly lost as they made their way deeper into the earth. Though there was no light to guide their path, they saw every detail of the moist stone walls and muddy ground. When they had reached the end, where even the light of the midday sun could not find them, they readied themselves for the day.

Appuis sat on a flattened stone shelf on the wall, waiting for the sun to take his children before it called for him as well. Eric and Pam laid down on the floor of the cave, Pam instinctively curling into the side of her older brother. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and patted her hair.

"What does a fairy taste like?" She asked with a yawn.

"If you want to know so badly, I guess you'll have to catch one next time." Appuis said with just a hint of scolding.

"They are sweet...and a bit flowery." Eric's memory of the fairy blood on his lips made him sigh in pleasure.

"Do you think we'll get some more?" Pam asked after a moment of fantasizing. Appuis smiled into the darkness.

"I do, indeed."

**A/N:**

**1. I know some of you voted to keep the mystery and not see this point of view, but I was having trouble putting a few key points into Sookie's perspective, so here you go. **

**2. Pam. She's a bit different. But my Pam is younger and was turned in different circumstances than the Pam we all love. But do not fear, I will not take away her fire or snarkiness, she just has to develop these traits.**

**3. Eric/Appius. The relationship with these two in the early days is pretty dark. However, I'm not a dark person (usually), so I'm really only going to hint at the horrible things that Appuis does. So if you're worried about me writing a graphic rape scene between the two, do not fear. However if you were hoping for this, I'm sorry.**


	6. Request of the Guardians

Before I could even open my eyes, I knew the sun was shining brighter than it had for months, and it was not the light of the morning. I had slept in, not having fallen asleep until after dawn. Now, the air was warm and a light breeze swept in from the open door, refreshing the house. As my eyes focused, I spotted Gran; fluttering about, straightening and picking up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sleep so late." I apologized while stifling a yawn. I stood up and straightened my shift, reaching for one of my plain wool dresses.

"Don't worry yourself. There isn't much to do today. It's quite a nice day, though." She smiled.

"If it's like this for a few days, we may have hopes of finally planting." She said, as she pulled the bed coverings off Jason and Michelle's bed and disappeared out the door. I followed slowly, still adjusting to the light and sensation of once again being awake.

Outside, Gran began to hang her load over the fence and shake them out. I walked over to help.

"I just thought it would be nice to air everything out a bit, now the weather's nice." She said, answering my silent question. I had often wondered if Gran had been given the same gifts as I; she always seemed to know everything. But I had come to accept that that was simply how she was, that her years held more knowledge I could ever glean. "Bill came by earlier, he was looking for you."

"Did he say why?" I asked casually. The sunny weather meant more than planting. I knew that the closer we were to summer, the closer we were to my wedding.

"He didn't. Just said that he needed to talk to you." She smirked but didn't look up as she continued to straighten the bed clothes.

"I'll find him later. I'm sure you have something you need my help with here."

"No." She shrugged.

"Are you sure? We're getting low on candles." I offered.

"Michelle made some more this morning. She couldn't sleep with the baby kicking." Gran said as she turned and walked back toward the house. I knew she was hiding a smile.

"I'm going down to the river, then." I called after her. She made a waving motion with her hand to say that she'd heard me. I sighed and began the walk down to the river. It wasn't far and the walk was quiet in the bright sun. The forest was starting to sound more alive, the birds singing and the branches fluttering in gentle breezes. Winter would not be missed, no matter what summer would hold for me.

I could hear the river long before I saw it, the roar of the water as it washed over rock and around bend, down from the mountains and out towards the sea. It was wild now, with fresh spring melt, and the cool smell of it soothed me. It was too frigid and too fast to get in, but the sun warmed the rocks on the bank and I climbed onto one of the larger ones, curling my knees to my chest.

It seemed so long since I'd had a moment to think, and now thoughts and worries rushed into my mind. How had things changed so much in such a short time? The village had guardians now, sent from the gods. They had saved me. Saved me from the strange attackers, who had come from nowhere and gone back without a trace. But Appius and this children were not mortal. That much was clear from their minds... or more truthfully, it was made clear by the fact that I could not read their minds, which had never happened before.

That, above all else, frightened me. I had had this gift for as long as I could remember, and never had it failed me in this way.

But the day was beautiful and I refused to dwell in the uncertainties and fears of my mind. Today was the first true day of sun since last summer, and I would enjoy it. I laid back on the warm rock I had perched myself on and took a deep breath of the fresh river air.

I don't know how long I daydreamed or dozed in afternoon sun, but I jolted awake at a sensation that immediately terrified me. For a moment, just a split second, I had sensed a mind near me. But not the mind of any of the villagers, this mind had felt the same as the wild woman who had attacked me only a couple of nights ago. Faster that I knew I could move, I was up off the rock and spinning around, looking for its origin, but saw nothing. I dashed off into the trees, trying to chase that invisible signature. But there was nothing.

I rested my head in my hands, trying to calm my heartbeat. I felt like I was going mad. That feeling seemed so real, but there was nothing out here. I wanted to cry at the outrageousness of it all, but pulled myself together and headed back to the trail. My heart had slowed and my mind had calmed by the time I reached the farm, but I was not the only one who had just arrived.

Bill had, at the same time as me, emerged out of the forest, though he had come from the village. He smiled as he saw me, and I smiled back as we approached each other.

"I've been looking for you." He said when we met.

"I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so long at the river." I said honestly.

"I see you've enjoyed the sun." He smiled as he touched my still-warm cheek.

"So why were you looking for me?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, well, I thought that you might help me." He said cautiously.

"With..." I let the word hang there for a moment, hoping he'd finish it. It took him longer than it should have.

"The guardians have asked for you."

"As a gift?" I laughed.

"No. As a...", he stumbled, "Well...well I'm not sure there is a word for it. As a friend, I suppose. They want someone they can come to with questions or needs. They want someone to show them around and help them get to know the village." He finished in a rush.

"Is that really necessary?" I begged.

"Apparently, yes. Appius woke me in the middle of the night to inform me of his need for you."

"I suppose this is the price I pay." I answered after a moment, my fingers running along my healed arm. Bill exhaled in relief. I could tell he was not enjoying the new addition to our village. He was still new to being in control and if I were him, I would have wished for a smoother transition as well. "Do I need to go now? Did they say when they wanted me?"

"Well they didn't say. But no one has seen them today. I suppose they'll just come for you when they need you." Bill shrugged, unsure of what to do. I rolled my eyes at the high-handedness of it all. I guess Appius couldn't stoop to talk to a farm girl, orders would just make their way down the latter until I was told what I had to do.

"Do you think they'll be here for a long time? Or are they just passing through?" I asked, wondering how long I would be at their beck and call.

"They haven't said. Though they asked for a house. The Rattrays died in the attack, so I gave them theirs. I guess they're putting down roots." Bill shrugged again. I had never seen him so unsure of things before. Though I was beginning to feel the same way. Things that I had known were now suddenly unsure. I suppose the guardians had throw everything into the air.

000ooo000

The brightest sun of the year had slipped behind the trees and our village slowly fell into darkness, but the guardians still had not come for me. Dinner was a happy affair tonight, we still ate well from the whale and would for several more nights. And with everyone in health, the future did not seem so bleak. Full and satisfied, the night was going well. Until, of course, there was a knock at the door. Gran glanced curiously at me, I having told her about the guardians wishes for me. I stood without comment and went to open the door.

Standing a couple feet away, his frame still filling up the doorway, was the son of Appius, Eric.

"Good evening." I tried to sound welcoming, though I'm not sure if it was successful.

"You have agreed to give a tour of the village?" He asked stiffly.

"Yes," I said slightly surprised, "you wouldn't rather wait until tomorrow? It's getting late."

"No. Tonight would be best." He stepped back as though asking me to lead the way. I turned around to find my family's eyes on the exchange.

"I'll be back later." I said, grabbing a cloak from a nearby hook, the night having cooled substantially. Gran said goodbye and Jason and Michelle waved, returning to their conversation. I closed the door behind me and started walking in the direction of the village. Eric walked silently behind me, like a ghost following me in the dark. As I walked I craned my head around to look at him.

"So what did you want to see? It's just a village, we don't really have any landmarks or anything." I shrugged as I walked.

"I need to know where everything is, and who the people are. How old is the village?" He asked.

"Well, it's a few generations old. My grandmother was born in our house and we've lived there ever since. Many families have been here as long as us; the Bellefleurs, the Comptons. But there are a few that are more recent. Sam, for instance, has only lived here a few years. But I think he's the only one who hasn't at least been here for a generation." I rambled as we made our way down the path. Eric continued to walk behind me and listened without question or complaint. As we entered the village, I pointed out a few houses, their occupants, and the family history.

I wasn't sure if I was telling him anything useful, so I turned around a few times to gauge his expression. However, there was little to glean. Whenever I turned, he was looking at one house or another, or examining this person or that. But when I turned around again and continued talking, it felt as if his eyes burned into the back of my skull.

We slowly walked around the groups of houses, passing Sam's market, and came to the end of the tour in the town square. The fires were burning again tonight, and old Caroline sat in the center of the square amusing a group of children with stories of the gods. As we approached the circle, I knew what story it was from the pictures in the children's minds. It was one of my least favorites.

"And the great golden walls of Asgard will be set aflame, and so too will the great bridge Bifrost. And the Midgard Serpent will rise up from the seas..." She continued dramatically.

"Ragnarok," Eric said quietly behind me, "the great battle."

"Yes. It's been her favorite lately. During winter she's been proclaiming that we were in the midst of Fimbulwinter, the three-year winter that proceeds Ragnarok." I said, my eyes rolling slightly at the thought.

"You don't believe in the legends?" He asked, only a small hint of curiosity in his voice.

"It's not that," I struggled to defend myself, "it's just that Ragnarok is not my favorite story."

"You prefer the love stories." He said definitively.

"I don't _mind_ them." I said defensively, "I like Sigyn."

"Wife of Loki? A strange love story to prefer." He said with a slight smile. I shrugged, unsure how to proceed. He looked away, watching Caroline tell her story for several minutes before he spoke again.

"She was faithful in the worst of times. She saw good in a man who had many faults. Perhaps hers is a worthy story to favor."

I looked at him, but his eyes were still on the storyteller. I turned back as well and listened to her finish.

"And after the great battle, the fresh new world will arise from the seas. And Lif and Liftraser, who had been sheltered by the great tree Yggdrasil during Ragnarok, will come forth. And from them, the world will be populated again." Caroline always smiled brightly at the ending, as if it was all ok. The world was destroyed and gods killed, but as long as it all started over again it would be ok. I didn't buy it. It was too bittersweet for me, too much had been lost at that point. I looked to Eric, to find him watching me carefully.

"Um," I hesitated, "was there anything else you wanted to see?"

"Tomorrow." He said simply.

"Alright," I agreed, "where should I meet you?"

"I will find you." He said, the added quickly: "after dark."

I nodded in agreement, though my mind was rapidly working with his last statement. Something odd was happening. He didn't give any other explanation, but turned and simply strode off.

As he disappeared into the darkness of the village, I became more and more aware of the people left in the square. Most had been listening to Caroline's story, but were now wondering what I had been doing with one of the guardians. Their minds were loud and imaginative and I couldn't stand there any longer.

I walked quietly back to the farm and found the household asleep. Careful to not disturb anyone, I made my way to bed, disrobed, and crawled into the covers. After last night, sleep came easily, though plagued with dreams of Ragnarok. I was caught in the middle of the battle, the great creatures and gods of all the realms fought around me. And all the while, a horrible voice in my head demanded that I must choose a side.

**A/N: So I know it's been a VERY long time since I updated. I'm in school in a pretty intense program and have been hard-pressed for any spare time. But it's summer now and hopefully I'll have some time to get a few more chapters out there. Let me know what you're thinking! Reviews always make it easier to write faster!**


	7. In Icy Waters

It was only just past sunset, the following night, when there was a knock at the door. Gran, with a knowing smile, went to answer.

"Well Good Evening!" Gran said, as if it were her favorite friends for a visit. I stretched in my chair to see around her, surprised to find two bodies in our doorway. Eric had brought his sister tonight.

"We've come for Sookie." Eric said. Pamela glanced up at him for a moment and looked away with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh," Gran said, as if this was not what she was expecting. "Well I've just finished dinner. We were just about to eat. Of course you're welcome to join us. Why don't you come in?" Gran stood aside to allow them room to enter. They didn't immediately move. Instead, they glanced at each other, having a rapid and silent conversation. I'm not sure what was argued, but neither seemed to win, both looking deeply dissatisfied as they tentatively entered the house.

Gran silently gestured to the table where we were already positioned, and they slowly made their way over, taking empty chairs. They glanced around cautiously, taking in the house and its contents. I was suddenly very aware of how quaint our house must seem to others. We didn't have many fine things, most everything we had, we had made or had been passed down through the family. I didn't realize that I had joined in the examination of the house until I noticed that Pamela and Eric had stopped, and were now appraising me. Gran saved me.

"So you've been here for a few days now. Do you like the village? And you're new house?"

"The house is nice." Pamela offered. Gran looked expectantly at her, thinking she would continue. She did not.

"Oh, well that's good." Gran turned to Eric next, "And you, Eric, have you found everything to your liking?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Excellent," Gran said. Though she didn't show it, I knew she was disappointed that the guardians were not conversationalists.

"So why is it, exactly, that you're here?" Jason asked, innocently enough.

"Jason!" Gran scolded him, stopping in her serving of the food to glare at him.

"What? I wasn't trying to be rude. Just wanted to know why they're here now of all times." Jason spoke to his plate, unwilling to meet Gran's angry eyes.

"We're here because now is a particularly dangerous time for all of you. You should prepare yourself for what is to come. There will be more attacks, and we will not be able to save everyone." Eric addressed Jason directly, though everyone stared back at him in silence. I snuck a peek at Gran, who's brows had stitched together in worry, but she would not meet my eyes. I looked back to Jason. He seemed to contemplate for a moment, stuck a piece of meat in his mouth, and nodded.

"Alright, then." Jason seemed satisfied with Eric's answer. We all ate in silence for a few moments as Eric continued to look stern and Pam poked at the meal on her plate with fascination. Neither of them ate.

"How does your father like the village?" Gran asked of Pam and Eric. She continued to try and make small talk throughout dinner and eventually, the mood lightened somewhat. Eric even asked a few questions of her, though it was all equally mundane, mostly about our family or the house. Every now and then when I would glance over, I would swear that the food on Eric's plate was growing rather than disappearing. Though Pam seemed to be enjoying the food, hers was nearly gone. I could tell Gran was hurt by his refusal to eat, but she would never say anything of it. I smiled at her reassuringly, and finished off all of my food before helping to clean up. I collected Eric's plate myself to spare Gran's feelings.

As we washed, Jason and Eric chatted. Or at least, Jason chatted and Eric spoke with minimal contribution or interest. Michele attempted to entertain Pam, inviting her to feel the baby kicking. This afforded so much amusement to the rest of us, Gran and I stopped our cleaning to watch.

Pam's face was a mix of curiosity and horror as her hand rested on the bloated belly. The baby must have kicked particularly hard and she drew her hand away as if it were burned.

"You enjoy this sensation?" Pam asked with doubt.

"Mostly," Michelle answered with a laugh, "have you never been around babies before?" She asked.

"Not really." Pam sat back in her chair and continued to stare at Michelle's stomach, as if, without warning, the baby would emerge and fly at her in a surprise attack.

It didn't take much longer to make sure the meal was cleaned up, and when it was, I took my leave with Eric and Pam.

"I'm sorry you had to wait," I offered as we walked through the woods, when neither had said a word for several minutes.

"Apologies aren't necessary," Eric finally spoke. "I haven't been to a family meal like that in a very long time. It was," he paused, looking for the right word, " good."

"Speak for yourself." Pam muttered just loud enough for me to hear. I smiled, thinking of her face earlier. Before I could make a joke about it, we had arrived at the river. We stood there for a moment before I became slightly uncomfortable.

"So..." I stumbled, "this is the river."

We were standing in a line, Pam between Eric and I, only a few feet from the rushing water. They both slowly turned their necks to stare at me, Eric with the hint of smirk.

"Fascinating." Pam deadpanned.

"Um," I continued, their eyes on me, "it's fast now, because of the melt, but later in the summer there will be days when the women will all come down to do the washing. It's actually rather fun." I smiled, thinking of all the stories we'd tell each other, or the water fights that would ensue (under Gran's disapproving gaze).

"Yes, Pam, you won't want to miss that." Eric confirmed with great earnest. She slowly turned to face him and I missed her quiet response.

"And down the banks, to the east a bit, there's a great pool for bathing." I suggested, gesturing down the river.

"As enthralling as this is, I think Appuis needs me." Pam excused herself and suddenly Eric and I stood alone by the river. I sighed and sat down on a nearby rock.

"Isn't there anything more interesting you'd rather see?" I asked in desperation.

"Apparently not," he quietly responded. He walked over to the bank and sat on a rock not far from me, facing in my direction. "You're sure there aren't any more families or people I haven't met? Maybe some who live outside of the village, farther away?"

"No," I shook my head. "Ours is the only family that lives outside the village, the others like to stick fairly close together."

"Why do you live apart from them?" He asked, honest curiosity in his voice.

"When my ancestors built the farm, it was very peaceful here, and they had a bigger family, so they needed more land. When my parents died, Bill's father tried to convince Gran to move closer to the others, for safety. But she refused, because of me." I said, sharing too much. "I like the farm. And living too close to so many people, it can get...noisy."

I wasn't really being dishonest, but I wasn't telling him the whole truth, either. From the look on his face, I could tell that he knew this. He seemed to debate whether to question me further, but eventually his face softened and he nodded, satisfied.

"What's north of the river?" He asked, interrupting the peace I had found, listening to the rush of the river.

"Nothing really. Just forest. No one travels up there, too many wolves." I explained.

"And then the mountains block you to the south." He commented offhandedly.

"Yes," I wasn't sure if it had been a question, but I answered anyway. "I know there's a large town on the other side, but I've never been. Not many at all go, only a few traders, but that's fairly rare. I guess we're pretty alone up here." I felt suddenly very isolated, but the feeling passed quickly. I stood up and started to wade into the river, staying in the shallow waters. The water was frigid, and I gasped at the sensation, then laughed at my reaction.

"That water will sweep you away faster than even I could save you." Eric said, warning me.

"You think I don't know that?" I said, more bitterly that I should have. I pulled myself together and tried to lighten the mood. "You mean even a guardian has his limits?"

He didn't respond.

"Or perhaps I've used up all of my allotted rescues?" I tried to sound lighthearted, but ended up only reminding myself of that horrible night. I stared down at my feet as the water rushed over them and the small rocks that blanketed the riverbed. "What did you do to her?"

I couldn't get the scream of the wild woman out of my head. I had thought about it every day since that night, and now, before me, sat the man who had caused it. I looked up to his face to find him watching me intently. He wasn't shocked or disturbed or ashamed, he just looked at me, his head cocked slightly to one side.

"Do you really want to know?" He asked. His voice edged on threatening, warning me that I didn't want to know. My thoughts ran wild, imaging the worst. He knew what I was thinking, giving me time to back out, to say no. But I couldn't say anything. And after a few moments of silence, he realized this. "I let her go."

I couldn't tell if he was lying or not, which infuriated me. But he watched me calmly, gauging my reaction. I shook my head slightly, resigning to accept his words for truth. If they weren't, I didn't want to know. "Regardless, thank you. I owe you my life. Twice actually."

"I have. And yet you hide things from me." His tone was even, but I could not look at him. I knew what he was talking about. He could sense that I had lied. And he was right, he did not deserve that after what he had done for me. I looked back up at him, willing myself to tell him my secret. I looked away, not wanting to see his face as I told him.

"I don't live in the village because it's too loud, because I hear everyone's thoughts."

Eric stood, drawing my eye to him. I watched as he approached me, unsure of his intent, but not moving. He stepped into the water, but showed no sign of the cold, coming to stand just in front of me. I had to look up to see his face as he towered over me, his blue eyes latched onto mine.

"Can you hear my thoughts?" His voice did not hint at anger or curiosity, it was empty.

"No. Your family's minds are closed to me." I tried to look down, to escape his gaze, but his hand cupped my chin and cheek, gently forcing me to look at him. He stared at me for several moments, completely still. I could see his eyes glaze over, deep in thought. And then I felt it. For only a moment, an icy tendral, something dark and painful and wrong, burst through my mind and down my spine. If I had not, for so long, been forced to control my features when hearing the thoughts of other, I might had cried or crumbled to the ground. But I didn't, I just stared right back at him. He seemed satisfied after a moment and released my chin, but he did not step away. Though I was free now, his eyes had become more serious, holding me in place, afraid to break from him.

"Do you know who the woman was?" He asked, his voice without emotion, his gaze unflinching.

"She was one of several who attacked my village, I had never seen her before." I answered quietly and with equal seriousness.

"Why didn't she kill you?" He asked, his stare constant. I dared not look away.

"I don't know. She tried, but I fought her off just long enough for you to come." I hated lying, but right now, Eric frightened me. He was hunting these people, these attackers, and if what she said was true, I was somehow like them. And Eric did not need to know that.

He seemed satisfied after a minute and backed away, finally breaking his eye contact. I turned and looked out on the river, not wanting to approach the subject again and face that side of him. I don't know how many minutes passed before I turned around to speak to him again. But when I did, he was already gone.

**A/N: Yay! Another chapter down! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and inspired me to keep writing so quickly! **


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